1. Field of the Invention
The present invention provides a mobile security checkpoint configuration that processes people efficiently, improves public satisfaction, and provides improved security.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Security measures allow the public to continue to live normal lives in an increasingly dangerous world. Because of the increasing dangers, security precautions are becoming common aspects of modern life. For example, security checkpoints at airports and other public locations provide increased safety to the public through the screening, location, and collection of harmful items, thereby helping to prevent the presence of these harmful items in the public locations. In exchange for this increased safety, the public trades inconvenience and a loss of privacy.
Also, the security checkpoints are relatively expensive to construct and staff. While the public is generally not charged for the use of security checkpoints, the costs for the security procedures are passed to the public in the form of higher costs. A security checkpoint typically employs expensive screening equipment, such as an x-ray device, a walk through metal detector (WTMD), and/or a handheld metal detector (HHMD). As the need for security increases, the security checkpoints increasingly include more precise versions of the screening devices and new types of equipment (such as a chemical trace detection device that detects the presences of contraband chemicals on a person or item). The staffing of the security checkpoint may also have high costs, since the checkpoint must be adequately staffed as needed for safety and desired checkpoint throughput. Furthermore, with the above-described use of new security equipment and with a desire for increased security, training and qualification requirements for the security workers are increasing.
To help ensure the general acceptance of security checkpoints, the checkpoints should minimize the costs to the public. Various performance measures quantify these costs to the public. For instance, the delay time associated with a checkpoint may be measured, and the security checkpoint may be modified to minimize the delays.
Security checkpoint configurations typically suffer from several disadvantages. Primarily, the conventional checkpoint may not process the public with optimal efficiency. Because of resulting delays, the public is frequently dissatisfied with the conventional security checkpoint configurations. Even if the delays associated with a checkpoint are minimal, the checkpoint may cause public dissatisfaction for unnecessary delays and for the perception of unnecessary delays.
Furthermore, establishing security checkpoints at certain locations, such as seaports or outdoor public venues, raises several problems. Many locations need security checkpoints only intermittently. For example, passenger ships typically depart from a seaport perhaps once or twice per week. In the same way, large public venues, such as an outdoor sports facility, typically host a few events per week. Thus, a security checkpoint at these locations, despite having relatively high constructing and staffing costs, sits idle most of the time.
At the same time, these checkpoints often need to be configured to process a large number of people in a relatively short period. For example, a large number of passengers may need to board a ship in a short time at a seaport. Similarly, a public venue may need to process and admit a large number of people before the start of an event, such as a music concert or sport contest. If the security checkpoints are too small or understaffed, excessive delays may result in processing the large number of people, causing public dissatisfaction. For example, excessive delays at the public venues may cause ticket-holders to miss all or part of an event. Thus, the security checkpoints at these locations, despite their infrequent use, often need to be configured and staffed to process a large number of people in a short time period. The checkpoint consequently needs to be sufficiently staffed and include sufficient equipment to achieve the desired throughput, further increasing the costs for the checkpoints.
Even checkpoints that are used more frequently, such as those located in airports, face wildly fluctuating demand levels. For instance, significantly larger numbers of people travel through the airport (and thus must pass through the checkpoints) at certain days (such as holidays) or seasons (such as summer travel to ocean resorts). Thus, excessive lines and delays may occur at these checkpoints during these periods of high demand. Configuring the checkpoint to meet the higher checkpoint demand during these period results in increased costs, as described above.
Security checkpoints in outdoor locations face other challenges. As described above, the equipment used in the checkpoints is relatively expensive. Furthermore the performance and accuracy of the security equipment tends to be quite sensitive to environmental factors such as moisture. Also, contact with the environment may quickly damage or destroy the expensive search equipment, especially harsh environments surrounding certain areas, such as seaports. Furthermore, even if expansion of a checkpoint is desired, a location may lack sufficient space to accommodate the additional security equipment and workers.